Battery Powered Dream Machine: XTR Di2 Pivot

The not-so-minor details

Product

Pivot Mach 4 Carbon with Shimano XTR Di2

Contact

JetBlack Products
Shimano Australia

Positives

Smart integration of Shimano XTR Di2 for a neat and minimal appearance.

Negatives

Nothing to report so far, full review to come.

Let us introduce the most advanced mountain bike we have ever tested – the Pivot Mach 4 Carbon with 2015 Shimano XTR Di2. Fitted with all kinds of new XTR goodies from Shimano, this 115mm travel 27.5” Mach 4 is designed specifically to accommodate the new Di2 electric shifting. The battery is hidden inside the frame, plus the wires are housed internally resulting in a remarkably smooth cockpit that serves a visual reminder of what the future may hold for the sport.

2015_XTR_C2C-13

The shifters and padels of the XTR Di2. Small, neat and not a little button as you might expect. Shifting still has a very manual feel, and it's a good thing as a little electric button may be too easy to accidently press MTB trails.
The shifter and paddles are small, neat and ergonomic, not just a little press button as you might expect so shifting still has a very manual feel.  This is a good thing as a little electric button may be too easy to accidently press on bumpy trails.

Neat, clean, precise, and efficient is what we see in this new world and Shimano have gone to great lengths ensuring that their first dip into electron and proton controlled shifting for mountain bikes is even better than our roadie friends have been enjoying for a couple of years. We literally just picked up the bike and rode it straight onto the amazing trails of Margaret River on stage 3 of the epic Cape to Cape MTB race. The bike and gear worked flawlessly and we also proved that you can still shift Di2 when the whole drivetrain is submerged in foul, brow, smelly, infested water.

The 11 speed (11-40) is 10 speed feehub compatible and backward compatibilty is a nice touch. The Di2 derailluer is bigger than it's mechanical cousin, and yes it will cost a bunch, but considering the technology and other part upgrades avaliable on the market it's all relevant to your needs.
The 11 speed (11-40) is 10 speed freehub compatible and backward compatibilty is a nice touch. The Di2 derailluer is bigger than its mechanical cousin, and yes it will cost a bunch, but considering the technology and other part upgrades avaliable on the market it’s all relevant to your needs.
The display unit of the Di2 is very useful and is used to both display information and control functions of the shifting; including switching betweeen manual and more intellgent "Syncro Shift". Also, note the Di2 compatible top cap? Well, that's because you can hide the batterty in the stearer tube, and as thus the star fangled nut has been removed. Headset tightning is then controlled by an old school locking thread and nut undernearth the stem. It's not the old threadless stearer, just a modern simplier twist.
Di2 displays information and control functions of the shifting; including switching betweeen manual and the intellgent “Syncro Shift” mode. Also, note the Di2 compatible top cap? Well, that’s because you can hide the battery in the fork stearer tube. Headset tightning is then controlled by an old school locking thread and nut undernearth the stem.
The new XC/Race brake has a carbon lever, new insulated piston construction, magnesiam caliper and master cylinder and Shimano report a 10% increase in heat resistance.
The new XC/Race brake has a carbon lever, new insulated piston construction, a magnesium caliper and master cylinder and Shimano report a 10% increase in heat resistance.

We expect Di2 to be polarising, but hey what new, potentially revolutionary technology to the mountain bike world, hasn’t been? We’ll have way more details on Pivot and the new XTR Di2 in the coming weeks as we give the bike a good going over, but until then we’ll leave you with a few images to drool over.

The setting of this photo is more than fitting as less than 24 hours after this snap was taken we finished a super fun 57km stage of the Cape to Cape MTB race at the Colonial Brewery in almost this very spot. More on those first ride impressions soon.
Less than 24 hours after this snap was taken we finished a super fun 57km stage of the Cape to Cape MTB race at the Colonial Brewery. More on those first ride impressions soon.

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